


Unlikely Encounters

by Bae_baE



Category: Start-Up (Korea TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:00:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29065479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bae_baE/pseuds/Bae_baE
Summary: She was always invisible. Would he find her ?
Relationships: Han Ji Pyeong/Won In Jae
Comments: 11
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

He was a loner by nature. Being alone in the office late at night was not new to him. He preferred it that way. It got his work done faster and in peace. Home or Office – it was all the same. He would be alone in both places. That’s why it surprised him to hear the high pitched voices near the new business owners’ office. He had just stepped out to shake his legs and get some fresh air when he heard the commotion. It was quite loud, it might not have been as loud had the office been filled with people but now the near empty building echoed the words clearly. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. But it was impossible to not hear the conversation.

Two voices. Women. He knew one of them very well and from the bits and pieces of the ongoing exchange, he could guess the other participant confidently. 

Won In-jae and her mother. 

He suddenly felt guilty about trespassing their privacy and turned around to leave when In-jae’s voice turned one octave higher and he could feel the tears she was trying hard to suppress. His steps halted involuntarily . 

“….THIS is how it has always been. You have never seen me. NEVER. Not you. Not Appa. Not my step-father. My perfect grades were shadowed under how beautiful Dalmi-ah’s heart was. My sports medals were neglected for her scrapped knees. My hard work was inferior to just how perfectly imperfect she was!”

“In-jae-ya,” her mother tried to protest but she continued.

“ I chose you over Appa. I followed you to a new home. I was so scared to cause you any trouble and I tried so hard to adjust but you were too busy feeling guilty about leaving Dalmi behind that you never saw my efforts. I gave up everything else just to focus on learning the ways of Won Business so that I could fit into it and make you feel at ease and it never mattered to you even once!”

“Your husband locked me up in dark closets for hours if I made any mistake.” Her voice finally broke. “ I was so scared of the dark. Where were you then? Why are you here now?”

Her angry words had turned into a trembling whisper and he felt how scared young In-jae had been. How alone, how terrifyingly lonely she had felt. He knew how it felt to be always there but be never seen. He also knew if she found out that he was a witness to her vulnerable moment, she would feel extremely uncomfortable. He looked one last time through the gap in the blinds and he tried to catch her face, failing ,he left as quietly as he had appeared. 

Or so he thought. The shifting of shadows outside the window caught In-jae’s eyes. Distraught as she was, In-jae was still as sharp as a knife. She composed herself quickly, squared her shoulders and turned around to face her mother.

“ Eomma, if that’s all,” her voice had no trace of the anger or tears it displayed only a few moments ago, “then I’ll leave first.” 

She did not wait for her reply , gathered her jacket and bag and walked out. 

Not wanting to share the elevator ride with her mother In-jae took the emergency staircase . Half way down she met him and it seemed like he didn’t know if he wanted to walk upstairs like he was or just turn around and run downstairs like he wanted to. The confusion was visible all over his face and his lips were pursed into that adorable pout In-jae knew was present only when he was at a disadvantage.

“Director Han.” 

She greeted and barely suppressed a laugh when the simple words flustered him more.

“Erm. Yes, ahh, Miss Won.” He spluttered. “I was just, eh, erm, I just went to get some coffee.”

“Where is it?”

“What?” 

“The coffee.”

He paled. 

“Uh. That. Oh. They ran out.”

“Of coffee?” 

In-jae laughed out loud this time. It felt good to forget the emotional outburst she had a while back. 

Han Ji-pyeong was at loss for words when he heard In-jae’s laughter ring out. It was lovely. And sheepishly, he scratched the back of his head and laughed back.

“Yeah. I guess they did.”

In-Jae had stopped laughing but the mirth lingered in her eyes. 

“Director Han.”

“Yeah?” 

“Thank you. Have a good night.”

She offered him one last smile and walked past.

Han Ji-pyeong was still a little awkward when In-jae took her leave. He bowed slightly as her heels clacked on the stairs. When the sound disappeared he let out a deep breath and banged his head against the wall.

“Ouch! You stupid man!”

He rubbed his forehead gingerly and continued to curse himself. He had taken refuge in the staircase just to avoid In-jae and never once thought that she could take this narrow path to avoid anyone else in the building. He was so unprepared that he had made a complete fool of himself in front of a fully composed In-jae.

“But what did she thank me for?”

He stored the question at the back of his mind for later, smiled for absolutely no reason and headed off to get his work done.

The second time they met in an unlikely place was a Soju bar. In-jae was huddled in a corner seat, one empty and a half full bottle arranged neatly on her table . To be honest, he had never imagined to find Won In-jae, the pristine princess downing Soju in such a common man’s place. Using the excuse of no other empty seats, he sat across her and placed his order for a bowl of noodles and a drink. 

“Miss Won.” He started tentatively. “What a surprise to find you here!” 

She winced at his words, poured the drink in her glass into her mouth ,made a face and laughed bitterly. 

“ What a fascinating world it is!” She scoffed and he was taken aback. “ When I was trying hard to be a Won they kept reminding me that I was an outsider, not a Won. That I could never be one. Now, that I have fought legal battles to get my name back, everyone keeps calling me Miss Won. Not a Won, Not a Seo. Who am I, Director Han? ”

She poured another drink into her glass and he deftly caught her hand. 

“I am sorry, Miss Won,” he grimaced at his own slip. “I mean, Miss Seo. I didn’t mean to upset you. It is more of a habit. I never realized it was causing you so much hurt. I am really very sorry.”

In-jae was looking intently where her wrist was clasped into his larger hands. Not getting an answer from her at his apology, Ji-pyeong followed her line of vision and his cheeks colored . He released her wrist in a haste and it hit the table below with a soft thud and it flustered him even more.

“I am so, so sorry!” He scrambled up from his seat, her wrist once again caught into his hands, this time checking for injuries and rubbing slow circles to soothe any hurt. “ I am so sorry! I don’t know what’s happening . I…I..” He looked around, “I’ll get you some ice.”

In-jae placed her other hand over his and stopped him from leaving, his hands still wrapped around hers. 

“Sit down, Director Han. There is no need to get so busy. I am fine. Everything is fine. You are fine. Just sit down.”

Ji-Pyeong looked unsurely at In-jae. Her cheeks were rosy, eyes downcast, voice a little hoarse from the alcohol. It caught him off guard when she suddenly looked up and met his eyes.

“I am not drunk.” She declared. He sat back down and quickly glanced at their joined hands stretched across the table. “ I am holding your hands because it’s warm and big and it feels nice to have someone hold you every once in a while.”

Ji-pyeong kept silent. He didn’t know the correct way to approach this situation and he was sure he would make it worse by opening his mouth. Thankfully In-jae sighed , removed her hands from his grip and stood up. 

"I am sorry for making you uncomfortable, Director Han. It seems like we are fated to meet in unlikely places.” She grabbed her bag and tilted her head slightly. “Next time, I’ll buy.”

“Next time? Next time?” 

Did she mean? His questions remained unanswered as she waved her hands from a distance and hailed a cab.

His bowl of steaming noodles were placed in front of him . He looked at the serving lady and smiled like a school boy.

“Did you hear that? She said there will be a next time!”


	2. Chapter 2

He didn’t know how to explain the situation because, honestly, there was nothing to be explained. But he wanted to.

“ This isn’t what you think it is.” He blurted out in a rush. “ She came here to vent because she was really upset and she ended up crying….”

In-jae’s eyes flickered from his desperate face to Dalmi’s,who was sleeping peacefully on the couch. Her eyes lingered a little longer where her fingers were clutched around his arm. She schooled her features and gave him a small smile.

“It’s okay, Director Han. I am sorry for barging in, I should have knocked first.” 

Her words were spoken formally and it bothered Ji-pyeong even more. He attempted to rise from his sitting position on the couch . The movement jarred the sleeping Dalmi and she let out a small moan of annoyance. The sound stopped him and he quickly looked back to check if he had disturbed her sleep. When he returned his attention to In-jae, she was long gone .

Later that evening, In-jae was storming to her car. The sound of her heels clicking in the empty parking lot. She angrily pulled open the door to her car and carelessly threw her belongings inside. Getting in, she slammed the door as hard as she could, hoping it would burn out some of the turbulent emotions bottling up inside. 

In-jae didn’t know who she was more disappointed at. Herself or him. She had wasted the entire day, literally got no work done which added to her frustration. Her emotional turmoil led to her taking it out on the employees and she decided it was for the best that she took an early leave to calm herself.

She didn’t quite understand what she was feeling or why she was feeling that way. Director Han was not obliged to provide her with an explanation ,nor were they in any kind of relationship. She shouldn’t feel hurt or betrayed to find him caring for some other woman so tenderly, her sister for that reason no less. Did her sibling rivalry worsen to that extent? Was she jealous because Dalmi had once again taken her spot? 

She laughed bitterly and rested her head against the steering wheel.

“I must be going crazy!” She thought. “My spot? My spot by Director Han’s side? You stupid, stupid girl!”

She breathed in and out for a few times to compose herself and started her car. She caught a glance of Han Ji-pyeong through her tinted windows . He appeared ruffled and out of breath as if he had run all the way here to the parking lot. She caught his searching eyes in her rearview mirror and sped away.

Han Ji-pyeong cursed out loud as he watched her car pull away just as he appeared in the parking space. He couldn’t believe his day to get any worse when the SamSan guys walked in the area, their voices loud and cheery.

“Ah! Director Han!” Nam Dosan greeted and he heard the loud steps getting closer.

Great! Just great! He ran his hand through his hair in annoyance and turned, trying hard not to lash out at the wrong people.

“Whoah!” Chul-san shrieked. “ Director Han doesn’t look good. May be we should just leave him be.”

Well, may be he didn’t really hundred percent try to look presentable, but when it came to these three , who could really blame him? 

“Just a very long day. If that’s all, then I’ll leave first.”

Caught in Seoul’s after work traffic, Ji-pyeong allowed himself to review the events of the day. It had started to go wrong since Young-sil sprouted some poetic nonsense about delicate human emotions and whatnot. Then Dalmi had walked in his office early in the morning and started talking about how annoying and dense Dosan could sometimes be. Like he didn’t know that already!

From ranting to venting he didn’t quite understand why she started crying at some point , muttering something about not getting enough sleep in a week, work , meeting , Dosan and then he lost trace. It was new to him because when it came to Dalmi, he always paid attention. He guided her to the couch and gently advised her to get some sleep when she grabbed his arm to thank him. She fell asleep in the middle of her thank you speech, typical Dalmi, still holding his arm to her. Not having much to do at that moment, he decided nothing would go wrong if he sat by her for a while.

Except, In-jae had walked in at that moment and the smile she wore and the sparkle in her eyes dimmed visibly as she took in the situation. He desperately wanted to go after her and explain. The entire day had passed and obstacles kept popping up one after another and he was unable to leave and find her. Just when he thought he had finally caught up, she had already left.

A strange thought crossed his mind and he sighed, his teeth biting on his fingers. Was she waiting for him? Did she expect him to find her and explain? Not that he had to. But he wanted to. He didn’t know why. Because they weren’t even friends let alone something more. One thing he knew that was for sure, for some reason the dimming smile in In-jae’s face had disturbed him far more than Dalmi’s tears . 

The lights changed to green and the horns blaring behind prompted him to take a fast decision. Without hesitation, he sharply turned around and followed a new route. 

In-jae had barely gotten home and finished sipping her iced water when the bell rang. It surprised her as she was not used to receiving visitors, let alone one so late in the evening. She strode to the door with her glass in hand, yanked the door open in annoyance without checking through the security cam.

Her annoyance turned into a pleasant surprise as she scampered to make herself presentable.

“Director Han! What brings you here?”

Han Ji-pyeong was equally surprised , may be not so pleasantly , when In-jae opened the door. He was prepared for a thorough questioning through the monitor, he even had his answers ready! But he was totally unprepared for In-jae to greet him this way – brows furrowed in annoyance, lips curled into a sneer and that glass of ice in her hand, for a moment he thought she was going to throw it at him.

“I..I..” He stumbled for words. “I am sorry for intruding upon you at this hour. But if you give me the chance, I can explain. I’ll just take a few minutes! Please.”

His voice turned earnest at the end of the rant and In-jae’s treacherous heart started to beat faster. 

“Alright. Please, come in.”

In-jae ushered her to the sitting area and offered him a drink, which he politely declined. 

“In-jae-Sshi.” He started confidently. There was something in his voice that made her look into his eyes. “Look, I know I should have found you sooner and explained but ….”

“If this is about what happened in your office this morning then I assure you , Director Han, there is nothing to explain.” She stood up and walked to the kitchen, suddenly no longer able to meet his eyes. “There is no reason you should have to explain yourself to me and…”

“I know there is no reason for me to explain myself to you but I still want you to know.”

In-jae jumped a little at his nearness as she turned around to find him standing right behind her in the small kitchen. His eyes were full of emotions , mouth pressed into a line and In-jae decided it did not suit him at all. Unconsciously, she reached out and brushed her thumb across his lips to pull it into a smile.

“Why though?”

Ji-pyeong’s heart lurched into his throat at the small movement but he forced himself to keep calm. He raised his hand and covered hers, where it was resting against his face. The warmth seeping into her hands from his shocked In-jae and she attempted to pull her hand back as if burned. But he held it in place firmly.

“Because I see you. I see you everyday. I see you working hard and not getting enough credit for it. I see you getting hurt protecting other people and be blamed for it. I see you trying to act bravely everyday, every moment of your life and it hurts me. It makes me want to stand by your side and be your shield. It makes me want to be the person to hold you when you are tired of pretending for the sake of this scary world. Because I know how it feels to be you.”

In-jae scoffed and pulled her hand away. 

“You came all the way here at this hour to say that you pity me?”

“No.” For the first time in forever, Ji-pyeong was confident in voicing his inner thoughts . “ No. I came all the way here to tell you that my heart does weird flips when you smile after a successful negotiation. I came here to tell you that I want to ask why such a pretty, pretty girl like you keeps drinking such dark, dark coffee. I want to tell you that I don’t know why I am here tonight except that I am and that I wanted to be here . And, and that…” his voice trailed off, slowly losing confidence in front of In-jae’s unreadable eyes.

“ That it makes me more comfortable and happier when I am around you than I have ever been in my life. And if you should allow me, I would like to know you more and spend more time with you – whether as a colleague or a friend or something more ….”

His honest confession was abruptly cut off as In-jae’s lips sealed over his, her fingers gripping the front of his shirt for leverage. Overcoming his momentary shock, he pulled her closer . Cupping her small face in his hands, he leaned down to kiss her better and she tiptoed to thread her fingers in his hair. The kiss gradually grew intense and his hands slipped from her face to her narrow waist and he walked her back into the kitchen counter. They pulled apart to catch their breath and Ji-pyeong took the opportunity to hold his emotions in check.

Breathing heavily, he leaned his forehead against hers and rubbed gentle circled on her back. 

“I don’t want to hurt or cause you any discomfort,” his voice was hoarse, throaty almost, “but I think we…”

“Just shut up and kiss me.”

Ji-pyeong’s laughter rang out in the spacious apartment before he sobered up, leaned down and kissed her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am scared the story moved too fast and they are not in character anymore. :(  
> Let me know what you think!  
> Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

It was awkward. 

Really, really awkward.

Ji-pyeong had spat his mouthful of rice directly into Dosan’s face (good shot! Nam Dosan- 0, Han Ji-Pyeong- 1) much to the latter’s chagrin. He gratefully took a sip of the water provided by Dalmi, trying hard to look anywhere but In-jae’s eyes.

Her eyes were unreadable. Ji-pyeong had caught a brief flash of shock but she had quickly hidden it behind her business face. She was probably the only one with a straight face at the table, eating her dinner with poise. Dosan was still grumbling about being spat on which Dalmi ignored completely, choosing to focus instead on the topic being discussed at the “monthly family dinner” with an unnecessary curiosity. 

“ What’s wrong with it?” Halmoni spoke again. “ You are not getting any younger, I am as blind as a bat…”

“Halmoni!” They protested in unison.

“…I only speak the truth.” Her voice was eager when she started talking . “ She is a nice girl. I know her family. Why can’t you just go on a date with her once? Besides, she is already in love with you!”

The sound of cutlery being slammed made everyone turn sharply towards In-jae. She was clearly annoyed ,her lips pursed, eyes darkening. 

Ji-Pyeong paled visibly. 

“What’s your problem?” It was Dalmi who questioned her sister. “Why are _you_ acting up?”

Dosan snickered, elbowing Ji-pyeong discretely in the ribs(yet quite hard, Nam Dosan -1, Han Ji-Pyeong -1, huh!) . Air left Ji-Pyeong’s already struggling lungs. He made a weird sound, caught between a cough and moan of pain.

“Good boy, are you okay?”

Ji-Pyeong sobered up quickly at Halmoni’s concern, stumbling to form an answer when In-jae cut him off.

“Halmoni.” She was agitated alright. “How can he be okay if every time he comes over you keep asking him the same question again and again. It’s his life, let the man make his own decision. He is not a little boy anymore.”

She finished in a huff and silence followed her outburst. Their eyes met briefly across the table before Dalmi interrupted. 

“Yaa, don’t talk to Halmoni like that! If Director Han has problems with Halmoni probing into his life, let him say it. As you said, he is not a little boy. What right do you have to interfere in his life or talk to Halmoni in that tone on his behalf?”

Dalmi was always very sensitive when it came to her grandmother and In-jae was still not used to being in a homely family or be a part of playful family banter . It often led to her lashing out, followed by an angry exchange and uncomfortable next few days. 

The jolly atmosphere darkened in a matter of seconds and Dosan was trying to calm Dalmi down. He kicked Ji-Pyeong under the table , urging him to do some damage control.

“ Ah, Dalmi-sshi.” Ji-Pyeong started. “It’s quite alright. Let’s not make a big deal out of this small thing.”

“Small thing?”

“SMALL THING?”

Even though Dalmi’s shriek was louder, it was In-jae’s cold voice that resonated in Ji-Pyeong’s ears. Her eyes were shadowed and he knew her fingers were clenched on her lap, even though he couldn’t see it. Dalmi tried to say something about how it was In-jae’s fault to ruin the mood but Dosan reached over and ushered her away. 

“…. Err. No, I meant…”

Why was it so hard for the ace investor to find words when he needed them most? 

“It’s okay.” In-jae cut him off again. “ I am sorry for disrupting your family dinner.” 

“In-Jae-ya.” Halmoni tried to pacify her as she stood up from her chair.

“I’ll see you at the office then.”

In-jae walked away. Ji-Pyeong was still sitting at the table, looking back and forth between Halmoni, who was trying to call In-jae back and In-jae, who was collecting her jacket from the couch. 

“Hyung! Go after her, you stupid man!” Dosan’s exasperated voice sprang him into action. For a man of his caliber , Ji-Pyeong could be dense at times. 

“Eh? Oh. Yeah.” Ji-Pyeong stood up, walked around the table and gave Halmoni a quick hug. “Halmoni, thank you for the dinner. I’m sorry for what happened. I’ll look after In-jae-Sshi . Don’t worry. I’ll see you soon.”

Halmoni patted his head affectionately and he sprinted out of the room following In-jae’s disappearing back . 

Ji-Pyeong caught up with his girlfriend just outside the main gate. She was probably calling a taxi, he assumed by her focus on her phone. In-jae usually took the taxi to the family dinners, providing Ji-Pyeong with an excuse to drive her home afterwards. 

They had been dating for over a year . And it wasn’t on purpose that they were hiding their relationship from their family. It just happened. They were both very private persons, neither were comfortable showing affection publicly. 

Initially they met during the weekends, coffee dates , evening walks and dinners led to In-Jae spending nights at his apartment more and more every passing month. Their strict business interactions at Sandbox had eased into a comfortable friendship. They were seen together , enjoying a cup of coffee at the cafeteria, often joined by Dalmi and Dosan, sometimes the others from Samsan Tech. It wasn’t their fault that everyone assumed they were good friends. 

Surprisingly, it was Dosan who had first noticed that In-Jae and Ji-Pyeong were not just friends. 

“Hyung, You should learn how to hide that love struck look every time she walks in if you want to keep your relationship a secret.”

Ji-Pyeong had almost fell from his chair at his words. Scrambling to gain composure, he tried to come up with various excuses. Then decided that they had been through enough things together, there was no point in denying. And he didn’t really want to hide it either. 

“Is it that obvious?” His voice was low when he asked, face pink.

“Yep. You could as well put it up on the notice board.”

Then Ji-Pyeong had told Dosan how they were not hiding it but they had yet to figure out the best way to tell Halmoni or how she will accept that her Good Boy was dating her granddaughter . And Dosan had kindly helped out by telling him that he understood and offered to keep it to himself till they were ready to declare their relationship publicly. 

Hearing Ji-Pyeong’s footsteps ,In-Jae looked up from her phone. Their eyes met and Ji-Pyeong knew instantly that it was not a good time and one wrong word could worsen the situation.

He sighed and stopped a few steps away from her. 

“ Let me at least drive you home, please.” 

After a long pause, In-Jae nodded and walked towards his car. Wordlessly, Ji-Pyeong followed.

The drive home was quiet. And In-Jae’s thoughts floated back to last year. Memories of all the time they have spent together crowded in her mind. They have been together for almost over a year. Even though In-Jae had spent a good amount of this time abroad, setting up her business, Ji-Pyeong had been patient and somehow they had not grown distant despite the long weeks apart. And In-Jae knew that she had found her person, that she would love to spend the rest of her life with him. 

Did she burden him with her expectation?

In-Jae’s deep sigh drew Ji-Pyeong’s attention. She looked lost, vulnerable.

Had he hurt her that much?

He absolutely hated seeing that look on In-Jae’s face. He had always tried his best to support her, protect her from everything that caused her to feel like that, just as she had done for him. 

In-Jae was his miracle. He still couldn’t believe that out of all the people she could have, she had chosen him. When she was frequently travelling overseas for weeks at stretch, Ji-Pyeong was a little scared. For someone as focused and ambitious as In-Jae, her work meant everything .

He was pleasantly surprised when she took the time out of her busy schedule every single day to call and ask after him, no matter how tired she was. All his doubts went away as In-Jae’s clothes slowly started to take more space in his closet and her favorite shade of lipstick stood side by side with his cologne on his dressing table. 

As their destination drew near, Ji-Pyeong chose to break the silence and smoothly pulled up next to a park.

“In-Jae-ya.”

He was not the type to use such affectionate terms casually . In-Jae sat up straight and focused her eyes on him. The force of her undivided attention weighed on his nerves and he offered her a shaky smile in return.

“In-Jae-ya.” She loved it when he called her name that way. “I am sorry. I know you have been hurt tonight and I should have handled the situation better. I….”

“It’s not your fault. I reacted poorly. I should apologize to you and Halmoni for being unreasonable.” Her voice became strained as she continued. “I just….they keep trying to set you up with these amazing women and sometimes I am scared that you’ll realize I am not good enough for you.”

 _That I am not enough for anyone._

“I think that’s enough.”

His tone startled In-Jae . In the duration of their courtship and even before that, Ji-Pyeong had never used that sharp tone with her. She had heard him use that tone, and it was always reserved for his role of a strict investor who crushed dreams with his harsh words. 

“In-Jae-Sshi.” His mouth was drawn into a thin line, his eyes serious. His attitude demanded attention.

“I don’t know what I have done to make you feel so insecure. But I do know that there’s a hundred more things that I could do for you and it will still not be enough for me to express how thankful and blessed I am to have you in my life.”

Ji-Pyeong paused to look at her and his features softened. He unbuckled his seatbelt, reached out and brushed his thumb across her cheek, the corner of his mouth lifted into that beautiful smile.

“All my life I have chased after money and success and fame and it was never enough. Nothing filled the void in my heart till the day I found you.”

“Ji-Pyeong-Sshi.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

No one had ever made her feel as loved and cherished as Ji-Pyeong did. Her eyes filled with tears as he continued to pour his heart out.

“I have been meaning to tell you for a while now, waiting for the right time. But the time, it seems, is never right. So, even if it comes off as abrupt and impulsive, I want you to know that it’s not.”

Ji-Pyeong spoke with confidence, affection evident in the way his fingers turned her face to look at him more fully.

“In-Jae-Sshi, remember the time you asked me that if you weren’t a Won or a Seo, who were you? I didn’t get to answer the question then. I will answer that now. You are In-Jae, a strong ,self-sufficient woman, with the heart of a child – full of wonder, dreams and love. And a tiny bit of jealousy and envy.”

In-Jae opened her mouth to protest but Ji-Pyeong beat her to it.

“ No, let me finish. You are In-Jae, who loves work more than sleep and coffee more than the air you breathe.” 

In-Jae ducked her head , embarrassed. There was no use denying the facts, he knew her too well. Ji-Pyeong laughed, raised her chin up to look into her eyes, his voice warm.

“You are In-Jae, the woman I love.”

In-Jae’s eyes fell close as he leaned down and kissed her. 

The kiss was gentle, slow and they pulled away briefly to look at each other before their lips met again. 

Ji-Pyeong paused and parted just enough to speak against her lips, eyes still closed.

“In-Jae-Sshi.” She could feel the serenity he exuded in his voice and it soothed her troubled thoughts.

“Mmmmh.” She hummed, hands tracing lines on his shoulders.

“ Would you grant me a wish?”

“Anything.”

Ji-Pyeong moved back in his seat to face In-Jae , his hands trailed down along her arms to grasp hers, eyes gazing deeply into her expectant ones.

“ Give up trying to prove yourself a Seo. Let go of the burden of being a Won.”

Ji-Pyeong’s heart hammered in his chest as he tried to gauge the shifting reactions on In-Jae’s face. Confusion, anticipation, doubt. 

He swallowed his insecurities and mustered every ounce of courage he possesed to speak again.

His grip on her hands tightened, his eyes sincere.

“Be Han In-Jae.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not terribly satisfied with how it turned out.
> 
> Pls leave kind criticism about how it could have been written better.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> My first Jinjae story. Constructive Criticism would be appreciated!


End file.
